Friday

Friday

Dec 22, 2006 at 12:01 AM

On behalf of Marion County Veterans Services Director Jeffrey Askew, Sara Fitzgerald, park office manager at the Ocala-Marion County Veterans Memorial Park and all the park volunteers, I would like to thank the anonymous donors who placed 13 Christmas wreaths at various locations in the park.
Our unknown benefactors should know what a heart-warming sight greeted volunteers reporting for work the day after the wreaths so mysteriously appeared.
Kenneth A. Tipper
Ocala

As a family physician, I am very concerned that people in Medicare might not realize they have less than a month left to look into Medicare's prescription drug benefit.
Open enrollment began Nov. 15 and will only last until Dec. 31. For Medicare beneficiaries without good prescription coverage or with no coverage at all, the prescription drug benefit can provide significant savings - more than $1,200 per year, on average - and a lifetime guarantee that they can always get prescription drugs when they need them.
Also, people already signed up for the benefit may want to review their current plan to make sure it continues to meet their prescription drug needs next year, and they can switch plans if they wish - but they must do so before Dec. 31.
Picking a plan can be a little complicated, but there are resources to help you. I recommend that beneficiaries ask their doctor, pharmacist, caregiver, a friend or a family member for help. One very valuable resource is to speak one-on-one with a counselor by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), or by calling 1-877-353-3771 to be connected with the local Area Agency on Aging.
You can visit www.medicare.gov and search the Plan Finder tool, and there is helpful information at www.familydoctor.org.
Please look into Medicare's prescription drug benefit before the deadline, if not for your own peace of mind than for the peace of mind of loved ones and caregivers.
Dr. Richard R. Thacker
President
Florida Osteopathic
Medical Association
Tallahassee

I was very disappointed when I read of former Dunnellon Mayor John Taylor's decision to walk away from the City Council. I know well the heartache and frustration of trying to work with those whose ideas and understanding of the will of the people is different than yours.
However, I believe that divergent opinions are important in all levels of government and working with those having differing opinions is the heart of good government.
Over the past four or more years there has been a deep divide in both the city and the council. This recent election perhaps clarified that divide and the will of the people as well. This divide included my belief in allowing the citizens direct representation in negotiations with the state of Florida in regard to the state's denial of the land-use change requested for Rainbow River Ranch.
This was a point on which Mr. Taylor and I disagreed. My opinion was a minority; however, the obligation to remain a representative of the citizens who elected me was still there. It is my conviction that an adult does not walk away from their responsibilities, and this is especially important when those responsibilities become burdensome.
As an elected official Mr. Taylor had the obligation to remain open to the needs and desires of the citizens of Dunnellon. As an elected official he took an oath to represent them. It is a disappointment that he chose to leave that obligation.
If he truly believes the majority of council is incorrect in a vote, he could continue to espouse what he believes to be right while continuing to educate himself, his fellow councilpersons and the citizens.
It is a new day in Dunnellon. We can now return to being a small town with a big heart. The many fine staff persons who give much to the city and its citizens will, I am sure, continue to serve with professionalism and good will.
Mary Ann Hilton
Dunnellon

This letter is to all the people who think death by lethal injection is inhumane and cruel. I say let the punishment fit the crime. If the victim was killed by strangulation, stabbed to death, shot, beaten to death, etc., the murderer should receive the same. Evidently he thought it was acceptable because he killed his victim that way.
Please don't start quoting religious quotes from the Bible. If you look, it goes both ways: "Turn the other cheek" (Matthew 5:39), or "eye for eye, tooth for tooth" (Deuteronomy 19:21).
If you are still not in agreement with me, I have another solution. Adopt a prisoner from death row and let him live in your house. You would be responsible for housing, feeding, and medical treatment for the rest of his life. If he escaped, you would be held responsible and pay the price.
I'm sure you would feel safe with a convicted murderer living in your home with your children and grandchildren around. It would relieve the overpopulation in prisons, and I would rather see my tax dollars going to a worthwhile cause than housing these people for 20-30 years while they appeal one after another. The victim wasn't afforded such luxury.
In case you are wondering, I am not some radical, raving person promoting the death penalty. I am probably the most non-violent, caring person you would ever meet. But when it comes to a person taking another person's life, all bets are off.
Treva Dillon
Ocala

I have a new mental awareness game I would like for all who advocate staying in Iraq to play. It is so simple and will definitely increase brain power for those who seem to need a little more intelligence.
The rules are simply to repeat two phrases over and over until one feels dumb leaving the brain and smart taking over.
First sentence: 9/11.
Second sentence: Osama bin Laden.
If you try to put Saddam Hussein on line two, the game will not work and you will be as dumb as ever. This game is free to all.
Please note this game was sent originally to President Bush, who has yet to get it right. I am sure it is just a matter of him being too busy to read the instructions.
There is no entry fee, nor any prizes awarded. Just an end to the stupidity.
Linda Ellis
Ocala

Ocala, titled one of the best places to live, but what about work? I'm working at my local warehouse job, where I have been for over two years. In the background the radio plays, a commercial for the new Wal-Mart warehouse airs, offering base pay of $13.30 an hour.
I can't help but think about the people in Marion County who where robbed of new good-paying jobs when the new Wal-Mart distribution center, originally planned for development in Ocala, was diverted to Alachua.
Why is the county opposing development for these large companies that bring many new jobs for the people of Ocala? Is it already-established companies in Ocala that will have to compete with the higher wages? Why do these companies not want to pay more to their dedicated Ocala employees? The cost of living is skyrocketing in Ocala - food, gas, rent, mortgage rates are all up.
This may not affect the high class in Ocala, but what about a large part of Ocala's population: young couples, single dads and mothers, hard-working family men, struggling college students, or people who live check by check.
There is plenty of room in this county for them to OK and develop housing development on top of housing development. The county needs to make room for new, higher paying jobs and give the people of Marion County opportunities.
The people love to live here. But can they really afford Ocala/Marion County living?
Mathew Allen
Ocala

Isn't it a bit strange that a person like the writer of the letter "Tired of threats" (Nov. 24), who is tired of hearing them say that they want to kill us all, is saying that he wants us to kill them all?
If it were them that was invading us, can you imagine that we'd want to kill them? But it's us invading them.
Bob Schmitz
Summerfield